This is my second time reading through this book and there’s a lot I like about it. It’s got an old world feel to it, with its feudal society and bringing to life traditional tales of wights, waterhorses and the like. It fascinates me how that rather distinctly European feel is combined with scenery and wildlife native to Australia. Somehow it works.

I also enjoy how the author plays with identity. This is definitely a novel with post-modern influences, which seems strange for a fantasy.

It can be a bit slow paced, though. The author is obviously in love with language, but goes a bit overboard with her description in places, which really slows things down. Some of the turns of phrase also leave one feeling like the author is just trying to show off how clever she is.

Some of the encounters that the characters face seem a bit random and don’t necessarily add anything to the overall story.

I enjoyed it, but I can certainly see it isn’t for everyone.

Hmm. Hmmm. I think I’ll reserve full judgement until I’ve read the rest of the series, as book 2 already has me more enthralled.

I likes: the dangerous world described, humankind living in protected towers or towns, the surrounding wilderness overrun by wights. The author pulls in all sorts of Celtic mythology, making everything half-familiar, but not quite.

Not so great: the over-flowery language could be a bit grating, especially the use of long lists to describe a setting, usually full of unfamiliar words as if showing off a bit of reading up on kitchenware or sailing.

Overall, the melodramatic start does set up a bit of intrigue, although I was then disappointed at how quickly the whole book descended into a fairly standard fantasy journey/quest affair. But then – oh, the final scene had me picking book two up instantly, so as I say – I’ll wait to see how the entire story peters out.